Engine

Color

Highlights

Special ordered from Bratten Pontiac of Norfolk, Virginia with directed delivery to Beswick's hometown Pontiac dealership located in Morrison, Illinois.

Tri-power 389

Four speed close ratio transmission

4:33 posi traction

Radio and heater delete

Custom ordered Chevrolet Forrest Green color

- Parchment Interior with dash pad console delete

Extensive documentation including Pontiac Historical

Letters from the original owner Rick Holladay

Signed die cast car by Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick

Full size Jolly the Green Giant and Sprout Statues

****TV STAR CAR****

1965 Arnie Beswick Prepared Pontiac GTO Race Car "Jolly Green Giant"

Special ordered from Bratten Pontiac of Norfolk, Virginia with directed delivery to Beswick's hometown Pontiac dealership located in Morrison, Illinois.

Tri-power 389

Four speed close ratio transmission

4:33 posi traction

Radio and heater delete

Custom ordered Chevrolet Forrest Green color

- Parchment Interior with dash pad console delete

Extensive documentation including Pontiac Historical

Letters from the original owner Rick Holladay

Signed die cast car by Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick

Full size Jolly the Green Giant and Sprout Statues

1965 Arnie Beswick Prepared Pontiac GTO Race Car “Jolly Green Giant”

Race car driver Rick Holladay was so impressed with the performance of the Pontiac GTO’s on the track that he was determined to have one of his own to race in the NHRA B Class. After consulting with Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick, he special ordered this 1965 Pontiac GTO from Bratten Pontiac of Norfolk, Virginia with directed delivery to Beswick’s hometown Pontiac dealership located in Morrison, Illinois.

He ordered the car as follows: hardtop, tri-power 389, four speed, 4:33 posi traction, radio and heater delete and parchment interior. He also liked the Chevrolet Forrest Green color, so he custom ordered that too. Then he made arrangements to have the car drop shipped right from the factory to Arnie Beswick’s shop in Illinois in order to have Arnie prepare the engine for the NHRA B/stock.

In a letter Rick drafted it states that, Arnie completely blueprinted the engine, boring it putting forge true pistons in it, balancing it, cc-ing the heads etc. He also added a few of the Farmer's tricks including elongated front spindles, ladder bars and a pair of Hoosier recap slicks (white walls). I ordered the car with white walled tires because I prefer the white walls over the red lines.

Rick also states that, “In July 1965 Arnie towed the new “Jolly Green Giant” behind his new “Mystery Tornado” race car to York, Pennsylvania, where I met him and first raced the car. As I recall, the car turned well down in the 13’s on its maiden voyage made by none other than Arnie himself. (Arnie was very familiar with the car as he had been racing the car at his home track in Cordova, Illinois for a few months prior.) I had also set up a match race for himself at Suffolk, Virginia (also with Ronnie Sox) and at Suffolk, we both blew away the completion. As I recall, the Hoosier’s did not work that well and I bought a set of M&H race masters and very soon thereafter the car was in the high 12”s. I raced the car for approximately a year and a half locally earning a best ET of 12.69 in Richmond, VA and a best speed of 110.02 at Suffolk “ (See Eastern Drag News August 13, 1965 edition.)

The car switched hands several times and raced into the mid 1970’s. After being rediscovered a few years ago the car went through a painstakingly detailed restoration and was brought back to original as the well known “Jolly Green Giant” race car. Nothing was left out in detail and great care was taken in preserving nearly all the original components of the car. The Giant made its new debut in the summer of 2008 at the Pontiac Meet in Cordova, Illinois where the car was reunited with Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick. Arnie was so pleased with the quality of the restoration that he autographed the trunk lid of the car and wrote, “Thanks for turning back the clock to 1965”.

This is truly extraordinary original drag race car that is one of the few documented to Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick. A 1:18th scale die cast model was produced of this car with 3,000 units being made. This is interesting in that is was produced well in advance of its meticulous restoration, even before any plans were executed.

Highlights:
- 389 Tri-power
- 4:33 gear ratio
- Four speed close ratio transmission
- Heater delete
- Radio delete
- Special Order Chevrolet Forrest Green paint
- Parchment Interior with dash pad console delete
- Extensive documentation including Pontiac Historical
- Letters from the original owner Rick Holladay
- Famous historical drag car that is featured with its own die cast model
- Signed die cast car by Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick with the notation “Thanks for turning the clock back to 1965 and bringing this beauty back to its original glory"
- Full size Jolly the Green Giant and Sprout Statues

Information found on the website is presented as advance information for the auction lot. Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Mecum Auction does not verify, warrant or guarantee this information. The lot and information presented at auction on the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information. Mecum is not responsible for information that may be changed or updated prior to the auction. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the lot at the auction site prior to the auction.

Information found on the website is presented as advance information for the auction lot. Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Mecum Auction does not verify, warrant or guarantee this information. The lot and information presented at auction on the auction block supersedes any previous descriptions or information. Mecum is not responsible for information that may be changed or updated prior to the auction. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the lot at the auction site prior to the auction.